PLAYERS PANEL | ENGLAND VERDICT AND SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW

Our Players Panel discuss the latest from Euro 2024

We have gathered together a Players Panel, which features players from across all four divisions of the Pitching In Southern League. They will share their thoughts on EURO 2024 as we go through the tournament.

We asked them for their assessment of England’s penalty shoot-out triumph over Switzerland and look ahead to Wednesday’s semi-final encounter with The Netherlands…

CONOR McDONAGH | Well, it wasn’t the convincing win that we were all waiting for, but this is the quarter-finals and its not going to be that way. The main thing was that we got through and I don’t think anyone cares how we do it. I’m buzzing for Saka, he was brilliant. The scenes when Trent scored the winning penalty will live with us all forever. Looking ahead to Wednesday’s game and it’s going to be our toughest test yet, but they’re more than beatable. I really fancy us. I think we can score a few against them but on the flip side they’re more than capable of doing the same to us. Hopefully we get more goals than we have done in the previous games and obviously on the winning side. I can’t see us getting an easier run to the final than this tournament.

AARON ROBERTS | The performance on Saturday was again a little sluggish and slow, but we keep having big moments in the match and it swings in our favour, similar to the previous game. Fair play to Saka, he deserved it. Yes, we could be better but several sides who have played far better than England are already at home so let’s be positive. Looking ahead to Wednesday and it will be a tight game. I still feel at some point England will win and score more than one goal, preferably the final, but to get there we have to win! With our opponents counter-attacking and coming at us a bit more, hopefully we can mix it a bit more ourselves. I think it’ll go all the way to penalties again and we’ll chalk up another victory.

MATT BRITTON | I thought the performance against Switzerland was better, although we still lacked creativity. I like the three at the back and think he will stick with that formation moving forward. Saka was the bright spark and I think the subs had a good impact on the game again, Southgate just needs to start making them sooner though. Fair play to the penalty takers, great to see Trent get the winner as well. I fancy us against the Dutch. It won’t be easy but I think we will have enough to sneak into the final. Shaw has to play at left back for me, he gives us much better balance. I think it will be another tight game but I’m going 1-0 England.

OWEN HOWE | I think Saturday was our best performance yet; I still think as a team we are capable of much better, but we won and that’s all that matters. With the players we have in the team we always have a chance even when we go behind. I thought Saka was brilliant and scored a great goal. The penalties were all top class as well. I’m always confident with the team/squad we have so hopefully we can better the quarter-final performance and win with a little more ease on Wednesday. Maybe we can try scoring first and make it less stressful!

Thank you to our Players Panel for their thoughts…